The Power of Pulleys

March 28, 2018

​Grade 2 students at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School have been learning about simple machines. Through hands-on experiments, they learned how pulleys can change the direction of force applied to an object, and how pulleys can increase ones strength.

To demonstrate, the Grade 2's challenged older students to a game of tug-of-war. It began with a head-to-head challenge between two students.

The Grade 2's set up a one pulley system where they would get the advantage of having twice the strength. The older students were quickly amazed at the power of pulleys! The Grade 2's then invited more of the older students to pull against them. This time the older students were confident in winning (there were more of them and they were bigger and stronger!).

However, the Grade 2's changed their pulley set up by adding two more pulleys which gave them FOUR TIMES the strength. After this hard fought battle, the Grade 2’s emerged victorious beating the larger and stronger older students.